PATHOLOGY - Canine Acquired Cardiac Disease Flashcards
What is myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Myxomatous mitral valve disease is a degenerative valvluar disease characterised by changes in the cellular and intracellular constituents of the valve, resulting in valve leaflet and chordae tendinae thickening
Which signalment is more prone to myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Medium sized, older male dogs
Which dog breed is predisposed to myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Describe the pathophysiology of myxomatous mitral valve disease
The degeneration of the mitral valve results in valvular insufficiency, preventing complete apposition of the valve leaflets during systole resulting in blood regurgitation from the left ventricle back into the left atrium. This regurgitation eventually results in volume overload and left ventricular compensatory eccentric hypertrophy and left atrial enlargment. The hearts ability to pump blood effectively will progressively worsen along with the volume overload, this eccentric hypertrophy will also cause dilation of the valvular annular ring, resulting in a worsening regurgitation into the left atrium and a worsening volume overload which will eventually cause a backup of blood into the pulmonary veins, causing increased hydrostatic pressure resulting in pulmonary oedema and left-sided congestive heart failure. This can also progress to right-sided congestive heart failure as pulmonary hypertension will increase the afterload on the right side of the heart, resulting in pressure overload, concentric hyoertrophy of the right ventricle and eventual right-sided congestive heart failure
What are the five clinical signs of myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Asymptomatic
Left sided apical systolic plateau murmur
Syncope
Exercise intolerance
Signs of left-sided congestive heart failure
What can be the three underlying causes of the cough seen with myoxmatous mitral valve disease?
Cardiogenic pulmonary oedema
Airway obstruction secondary to cardiomegaly
The signalement for myoxmatous mitral valve disease are also predisposed to respiratory disease
How can you determine the severity of myxomatous mitral valve disease on clinical exam?
The severity of the myxomatous mitral valve disease corresponds with with intensity of the heart murmur
What is indicated by a grade I or II heart murmur associated with myoxmatous mitral valve disease?
A grade I or II heart mumur indicates there is a mitral valve insufficiency but no cardiac remodelling (stage B1)
What is stage A of myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Dogs that are at risk of developing myxomatous mitral valve disease due to their signalement but have no structural or clinical signs
What is stage B1 of myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Dogs that have clear valvular insufficiency but there is no cardiac remodelling
What is stage B2 of myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Dogs with clear valvular insufficiency and cardiac remodelling
What is stage C of myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Dogs with clinical signs of congestive heart failure
What is stage D of myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Dogs with end-stage congestive heart failure and are refractory to treatment
What are the characteristic signs of myxomatous mitral valve disease on a radiograph?
Cardiomegaly (particulalry of the left atrium)
Dorsal displacement of the trachea due to left atrial enlargement
Displacement of the bronchi on VD by left atrial enlargement (cowboy sign)
Signs of left-sided congestive heart failure (such as perihilar alveolar lungs signs and increased size of the pulmonary veins)
Which three arrhythmias can sometimes be seen with myoxmatous mitral valve disease?
Atrial fibrillation
Supraventricular premature contractions
Ventricular premature contractions
What can be indicated by sinus arrhythmia in dogs with a murmur associated with myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Sinus arrhythmia indicates that the myxomatous mitral valve disease is not yet severe, and there is a low chance that there has been cardiac remodelling
However this can be misleading if the dog also has a disease causing high vagal tone
What are the characteristic signs of myxomatous mitral valve disease on echocardiography?
Thickened and nodular mitral valve
Left atrial enlargement
Left ventricular eccentric hypertrophy
Turbulent blood flow at the mitral valve (doppler)
Which two biomarkers can be indicative of myxomatous mitral valve disease?
NTproBNP
Cardiac troponin I
What can be indicated by increased plasma levels of NTproBNP?
NTproBNP plasma levels increase when cardiac size increases
Why is NTproBNP an unreliable biomarker of cardiac disease?
NTproBNP is non-specific to cardiac disease and has significant biological variability
What can be indicated by increased plasma levels of cardiac troponin 1?
Cardiac troponin 1 plasma levels increase when the is cardiac damage
In dogs at risk of myxomatous mitral valve disease, what should owners monitor for at home?
An increased resting respiratory rate as this can precede signs of left-sided congestive heart failure
How should you treat stage A myxomatous mitral valve disease?
No treatment
How should you treat stage B1 myxomatous mitral valve disease?
No treatment
How should you treat stage B2 myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Treat with pimobendan
How should you treat stage C myxomatous mitral valve disease?
Treat with pimobendan and diuretics
What is the prognosis for dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease exhibiting clinical signs of left-sided congestive heart failure?
Generally a prognosis of 9 months
What is dilated cardiomyopathy?
Dilated cardiomyopathy is an inherited generalised disease/dysfunction of the myocardium characterised by ventricular dilation
Which signalement is more prone to dilated cardiomyopathy?
Large, middle age to old male dogs
Which dog breeds are predisposed to dilated cardiomyopathy?
Doberman
Irish Wolfhound
Describe the pathophysiology of dilated cardiomyopathy?
Dilated cardiomyopathy is generalised dysfunction of the myocardium resulting in systolic dysfunction which causes a reduction in cardiac output which results in an increased end-diastolic volume, volume overload and compensatory ventricular eccentric hypertrophy. The hearts ability to pump blood effectively will progressively worsen along with the volume overload, resulting in a backup of blood into the pulmonary veins (on the left side of the heart) and systemic circulation (on the right side of the heart), increasing hydrostatic pressure resulting in pulmonary and systemic oedema and congestive heart failure
What are the seven clinical signs of dilated cardiomyopathy?
Asymptomatic
Low grade or no mumur
Arryhthmias
Syncope
Exercise intolerance
Signs right and left sided congestive heart failure
Weak pulses
Why is there often not a heart murmur associated with dilated cardiomyopathy?
There is not always a heart murmur as the primary issue in dilated cardiomyopathy is related to the myocardial structure and function rather than turbulent blood flow that typically results in a heart murmur
How does dilated cardiomyopathy cause arrhythmias?
Arrhythmias can occur due to structural damage to the heart due to dilated cardiomyopathy
Why is it recommended to begin screening for arrhythmias in breeds predisposed to dilated cardiomyopathy?
Arrhythmias can potentially cause sudden death so it it recommended to begin screening for arrhythmias from 3 years old in dog breeds predisposed to dilated cardiomyopathy, using a 24 holter ECG
(T/F) Male dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy develop structural changes before they develop arrhythmias
TRUE.
(T/F) Female dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy develop structural changes before they develop arrhythmias
FALSE. Female dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy develop arrhythmias before they develop structural changes
What is stage A of dilated cardiomyopathy?
Dogs that are at risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy due to their signalement but have no structural or clinical signs
What is stage B1 of dilated cardiomyopathy?
Dogs that have arrhythmias but there is no cardiac remodelling